Desperate prisons recruit guards from abroad, even though they have little or no English, trade unions have warned.
In some prisons, the use of foreign employees could cause 'communication problems' and cause division, they said.
It was after reports that prison officers from abroad have been adopted, camping outside prisons or living in their cars because they do not have accommodation.
Since 2023, prisons have been forced to recruit overseas officers to come up with places, where the majority comes from Nigeria.
The sector has long been under pressure, with ministers asked prisoners early as part of an emergency measure to facilitate the overcrowding in prisons.
To cope with staff shortages, prisons have been forced to recruit prison officers from abroad, sponsoring competent employee visa.
Now it has emerged that some of those who are recruited are unable to speak English, the house magazine has unveiled.
Mark Fairhurst, chairman of the Prison Officers' Association (POA), the trade union that represents prison officials, said the publication that foreign recruits were struggling with the language.
Prisons employed guards with little or no English in an attempt to fill places in the midst of staff shortages, have warned trade unions (file photo)
HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) said that foreign nationals sponsored, but would not say how many of the 23,273 prison officials were from abroad (file photo)
“We have reports, and this is confirmed by prison parents that some overseas recruits have difficulty speaking or just not speaking English,” he said.
Govername-governors do not interview their prison officers, a process carried out through a centralized system without personal, face-to-face interviews, often with the help of Zoom or Microsoft teams and online reviews, he revealed.
He said that this practice was “just not suitable for the goal” and warned that this could mean that others have testing for candidates to get them the job.
His words were reflected by the Tom Wheatley of the Prison Governors 'Association (PGA), who said:' The scale of the levels of people from Afrikaans, in particular Nigerian, originally applying for jobs, they are currently at the moment In the majority with a significant margin. '
The recruitment of overseas staff had created 'communication problems' in some prisons and was able to cause division where there is a disproportionate number of foreign prison staff in remote rural areas, he told the magazine.
It meant, he added that “you create some other problems about changing the environment into prison, and you may also create problems in your workforce '.
Warning for competitive issues, he added: 'Some people come because of the assessment, it seems, and then struggling considerably once they come to the operational role and they cannot do what we think the assessment has tested that they could. '
It came after the POA had warned that Warden who was recruited from countries like Nigeria showed up for work on their first day in the expectation that they would be transferred with their work.
Earlier this month, Mr. Fairhurst told the Justice and Home Affairs Home Affairs: 'I hear some horror stories … About recruits from abroad that appear at the gate with suitcases and family in tow rope with the question: “Where is my accommodation ? “
'We have had examples of overseas recruits that sleep in their car. Apparently a couple of overseas recruits – because they don't have accommodation – have set up camp in a wooded area opposite the prison where they work. '
Mr. Fairhurst also said that another officer who was recruited from a distance later turned out that they have cerebral palsy – which means that they could not lock or unlock doors of cells, control prisoners or carry out rubbing.
HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) said that foreign nationals sponsored, but would not say how many of the 23,273 prison officers came from abroad.
Since 2023, prisons have been converted to recruit overseas officers to make places, with the majority from Nigeria (file photo)
It is believed that 250 aliens were sponsored to work in prisons after digital interviews – and two -thirds of the applicants came from Africa.
The jobs, including coveted skilled employee visa, are promoted online by the Nigerian expat community.
A spokesperson said to the house: 'In October 2023, changes were made to the skilled employee visa scheme, which sponsored the Visa requests for foreigners.
'All employees – regardless of nationality – undergo robust reviews and training before they work in prisons. Our reinforced control process warts from those who fall under our high standards. '
